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Originally Posted by Snakeeye
I do not disagree. However, this is the problem:
Canada has too much emissions. We have to buy credits for them. Who has extra credits to sell? Oh, hey, look, China does! Nevermind that China pollutes way more than we do. Ok, so we buy credits from China. The environment isnt helped, becuase pollution levels have not changed. Meanwhile, we are supporting a communist and oppressive government because their economy hasnt caught up to ours yet, so they not only get a free pass on their levels of pollution, they also get rewarded.
Great system. 
I fully agree that there needs to be costs associated with polluting, but this should not be done on an international level between nations. The Canadian government itself should be taxing the hell out of "dirty" companies, and using the proceeds to offer breaks and subsidies to "clean" companies.
And like White Doors states, it has to go way beyond CO2. There are other environmental problems that are of a far greater immediate concern to humanity. |
That's not fair - you read my post up until it suited your response, then ignored the rest.
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Once a balance had been reached, decrease the number of credits by a set percentage.
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putting a cost per unit of pollution (whatever form you consider - CO2, NO2, ...)
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come up with a way of integrating pollution into the profit equation (be it credits, or fines, or licenses or something else)
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And I'm actually surprised to see you advocating "The Canadian government itself should be taxing the hell out of "dirty" companies, and using the proceeds to offer breaks and subsidies to "clean" companies."
At least with credits, you are allowing the free market to set the "tax".
Perhaps this credit approach should only be used nationally. Look at the pollution emmissions in 2000, assign credits based on that, then reduce the "pollution value" of each credit on an annual or bi-annual basis, then fine violators double the value of the emmisions credit they should have aquired.
That should cover the industrial side, but a method for the general public to do their share will need to be considered.